Decorated shelving film



May 30, 196 7 E. B. FRECH 3,322,605

DECORATED SHELVING FILM Filed Jan. 16, 1963 2 Sheet5-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EVERETT BRYANT FRECH BY 7 WWW WW ATTORNEY May 30, 1967 I FRECH 3,322,605

DECORATED SHELVING FILM Filed Jan. 16, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L) \f \1 V V 30 FIG. 3 5

WWI-ET INVENTOR.

EVERETT BRYANT FRECH m ATTORNE Y United States Patent 3,322,605 DECORATED SHELVING FILM Everett Bryant Frech, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Riegel Paper Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 251,890 9 Claims. (Cl. 1616) The present invention is directed to improvements in coiled plastic shelving materials, and is concerned more specifically with novel and improved techniques for making coiled spring shelving provided with desired decorative or advertising patterns thereon in a permanent, colorful manner.

An advantageous form of auxiliary shelving material, described for example in the R. E. Taber Patent No. 2,852,143, .is a permanently coiled Mylar film which may be secured at one end to the back of a shelf frame and then uncoiled in a forward direction to provide a stabilizing layer, for example, between two tiers of packages, etc. As the packages of the upper tier are removed one by one, the free outer end of the permanently coiled shelving material recoils itself back to the forwardmost package of the upper tier. Coiled shelving material of the type generally described, while advantageous from functional and other standpoints, has not heretofore been adaptable to receive decorative printing or advertising material, considered to be extremely desirable for mass merchandising practices, for example. Thus, previous attempts to apply decorative material or advertising have been unsuccessful because of various difficulties such as an inability of the printed matter to withstand a subsequent heat treatment required for coiling the material or to withstand the repeated coiling and uncoillng of the shelving material.

In accordance with the invention, a specifically novel procedure is provided for applying printed matter permanently and in versatile fashion to Mylar (polyethylene terephthalate) laminates utilized for permanently coiled shelving. The applied printed material is of sufiicient permanence to withstand subsequent, extended heat treatment, involved in imparting a permanent coiled set to the Mylar film, and to withstand repeated coiling and uncoiling of the shelving material in use. In addition to providing substantial permanence in the printed material, the procedure of the invention accommodates wide varieties of printed designs, such that multicolor, unusually shaped, or otherwise complicated patterns and designs may be imparted to the coiled shelving material.

In general terms, the procedure of the invention involves printing on the back" surface of a first or outer film component of laminated shelving material a desired background pattern in a first distinctive color, leaving predetermined pattern areas unprinted. The clear, unprinted areas or discontinuities of the outer film component subsequently may be partly printed with one or more other distinctive colors, still leaving predetermined areas of the film clear and unprinted. Thereafter, the entire inside surface of the thin film component is printed or coated with a continuous layer of a color, usually White which, of the group of colors used, is least effective in its covering ability and may require more than one application to form a relatively opaque coating. The second or base film component of the shelving material is coated on its front surface with a special adhesive, pigmented to correspond generally with the background color predominantly visible through the front of the outer film component. Typically, the adhesive may have a solvent base, of a nature which would attack the printing compositions, but the solvent is substantially driven off before bringing the inside surfaces of the films together in a laminating nip. The foregoing operations are performed 3,322,005 Patented May 30, 1967 with the films in pliable form, and the films thereafter may be heat set in coiled form for about thirty minutes at about 300 F. to form the finished, coiled shelving material. The coiling of the laminated films is done in a direction such that the thin film component is on the outside of the coil, and the pattern printed on the inside surface of the outer film component appears in reverse through the exposed outside surface of the coiled laminate.

In one advantageous specific form of the invention, an intermediate film of Mylar, metallized on one surface, is interposed between the printed outer film and the adhesively coated back film. The intermediate film, secured to the printed outer film by clear adhesive, which may be colorless or tinted, takes the place of the continuOus color layer, which is omitted. Thus, in the finished, three-ply laminate, the desired design is visible as a sparkling, metallized surface, through the unprinted areas of the outer film. The metallized layer, being effectively encapsulated within the laminated structure, does not lose its glitter and brilliance through tarnishing, etc, throughout the normal life of the product.

One of the more specific aspects of the invention re sides in the provision of special inks and adhesives, compatible with the Mylar films and with each other and suitable for undergoing the necessary heat treatment without deterioration. To this end, advantageous polyester based inks and adhesives, cross-linked with an isocyanate composition to raise the melting point of the polyester material, are utilized, and these inks and adhesives are applied according to a novel and advantageous procedure, to provide the generally utilitarian coiled shelving material with a distinctive and pleasing appearance, presenting desired advertising, brand identification, etc.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic representation of the procedure according to the invention for permanently and effectively printing design matter on coiled spring shelving material;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are greatly enlarged, fragmentary, crosssectional views of printed shelving material according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a typical manner of using the printed, coiled shelving material of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, crosssec tional view of an advantageous, modified form of printed shelving material according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the coiled shelving material, shown in finished form in FIG. 4, advantageously is of laminated construction, being formed of bonded films of polyethylene terephthalate, such film being available for example from E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, under their trademark Mylar. As described in more detail in the copending application of Everett Bryant 'Frech et al., Serial No. 79,640, filed December 30, 19-60, the laminated film is formed into a coil and advantageously is immersed in a suitable vat, containing an organic liquid, such as glycerine, maintained at a temperature of approximately 300-350" F. The coiled film is maintained in the heated bath for approximately 30 minutes, sufiicient to result in a molecular reorientation of the film, imparting a permanent set to the film in coiled form. Heat setting of the coiled film may also be carried out in other media, such as salt baths, or even heated air. The coiled shelving material typically is utilized by securing the outer or free end of the coil to the vertical wall of a shelf structure, as described in the before-mentioned Taber patent.

In accordance with the significant aspects of the present invention, provision is made for permanently incorporating in the coiled spring shelving material desirable printed designs or advertising material, which not only lend a desirable and pleasing appearance to the finished product, but also serve to convey identifying or advertising information, as desired. Specifically, the shelving material of the invention comprises a laminated structure of Mylar films, including a predetermined outer film and a predetermined base film (having reference to the disposition of the films in the finished, coiled shelving material), the said films being laminated together in a desirable and advantageous manner and having encapsulated therebetween a desired printed design.

In accordance with a specific aspect of the invention, the outer film, designated by the reference numeral in FIG. 1, comprises a clear, transparent Mylar film having a thickness of approximately .5 mil (50C Mylar). The base film, designated by the reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1, likewise is formed of a clear, transparent Mylar material, but the thickness of the base film advantageously is on the order of 7.5 mils (750A Mylar), the arrangement being such that the thin outer film 10 represents a small fraction of the total thickness of the finished laminate.

The thin, outer film 10, as shown in FIG. 1, is taken from a suitable supply roll 12 and is passed through a gravure printing station, indicated in very schematic form at 13, including a print roller 14. Advantageously, the print roller is so arranged that the design or printed information applied to the film 10 is in reverse, whereby the information is properly oriented when viewed through the opposite side of the clear Mylar film. Thus, the printed surface of the film constitutes its inner or back surface in the laminated structure.

Advantageously, although not necessarily, the desired printed design is formed by printing on the back surface of the film 10 a distinctively colored background indicated by the numeral 15, leaving predetermined design areas in their original, transparent condition. The film 10 thereafter is conveyed through a heated chamber 16, to set and cure the background ink 15. Thereafter, the film passes through one or more additional gravure printing stations 17, 18 which apply ink coatings 19, 20 of predetermined color over at least the previously printed film, advantageously as a continuous coating over the entire back surface of th film. In a typical commercial design, the continuous coating 19-20 may be of a light color, such as white, in which case multiple applications at the printing stations 17, 18 may be required to achieve the desired opacity. However, as will be understood, where adequate coverage is provided in a single coating, the second application may b dispensed with.

Suitable drying and curing chambers 21, 22 are located after the respective gravure printing stations 17, 18 for curing the successive coatings applied at those stations. The coated film is then rewound at a station 23.

In some instances, where multicolor printed designs are desired, provisions may b made for applying a second printed design to the back surface of the outer film 10, the second design being of a distinctively different color from the first and being applied substantially exclusively within the uncoated areas or discontinuities of the film remaining after the previous printing stage. The second printing however still leaves uncoated areas of the film, which subsequently are covered by the final, advantageously continuous coating applied in the printing stations 17, 18.

After having been printed on its back surface as above described, the thin outer film 10 is laminated with the much heavier base film 11, as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 1, with the printed surface of the lighter film 10 being, in effect sandwiched between the two films. Specifically, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the heavier base film 11 is drawn from a suitable supply roll 24 and passed through a gravure printing station 25 which applies a special adhesive composition 30 to the front surface of the film. Advantageously, the adhesive composition is pigmented approximately to the predominating background color of the outer film 10, when the latter is viewed from its front surface.

The colored or pigmented adhesive, applied in solution at the station 25, is passed through the drying or curing chamber 26 to drive off solvent and is then brought into contact with the printed back surface of the film 10 in a suitable laminating nip formed by heated pressure rollers 27, 28. Typically, the reverse printed, thin film 10 is drawn from a supply 23a for the laminating operation. It would be theoretically possible to convey the printed film 10 directly into the laminating nip from the printing operations, avoiding the inter-mediate coiling and uncoiling operations, but the latter usually are expedient in a practical production operation.

The finished, laminated material after curing in a heated chamber 26a is wound at a coiling station 29. Thereafter, the material typically is slit into predetermined, narrower widths before installation as illustrated in FIG. 4 for example. Thus, the initial film width typically may be 21% inches for the thin outer film 10, while the initial film width for the heavier film 11 may be 21 /8 inches. Typical finished widths for coiled springs shelving applications are 6% inches, 13% inches, and 20 /8 inches. All of the foregoing dimensions may, of course, be varied to suit specific situations.

As shown in magnified detail in FIG. 2, the thin outer film 10 has a first discontinuous background coating 15. Directly under the discontinuous background coating 15 is a continuous coating 19-20 (comprising one or a multiplicity of actual coats to achieve the desired opacity) which covers the discontinuous coating 15 and also directly contacts the clear Mylar film 10 in the areas of discontinuity. Thus, as viewed from the outer or front surface of the film 10, a distinctive design is apparent, usually formed predominantly by the exposed areas of the continuous coating 1920 within the discontinuities of the background coating 15. The pigmented or dyed adhesive forms a substantially opaque layer 30 disposed between the front surface of the heavy base film 11 and and the back surface of the continuous film 1949. The adhesive 30 typically is colored to match or approximate the color of the predominating discontinuous background coating 15 of the outer film 10.

In the specific form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, the light, outer film 10 has its back surface printed with a first distinctive background color 15, the background imprint including desired discontinuities. A second predetermined pattern 31, in a second distinctive color, is selectively printed on the back surface of the film 10 within the areas of discontinuity formed by the background printing 15, such that the two distinctive colors are visible through the front surface of the film 10 in a predetermined design. Thereafter, the printed back surface of the filrn It) is coated over its entire surface with white or similar colored ink applied in a sufficient number of coats to achieve substantial opacity. The white coating layer, designated 1940, in addition to forming a continuous coating over the back surface of the printed film 10, has portions exposed through the remaining areas of discontinuity between the printed areas 15, 31 of the first two colors. Accordingly, the finished, printed film 10, viewed from its front surface, includes three distinctively different colors. The printed film 10 shown in FIG. 3 is bonded to the front surface of the heavier base film 11 by means of an adhesive layer 30, suitably dyed or pigmented to correspond generally with the predominating color visible through the front surface of the film 10, generally that of the background imprint 15.

In accordance with one of the specific aspects of the invention, special polyester adhesive based inks are provided for printing the back surface of the outer film 10 in the described manner. In particular, special provisions have been made to enable the inks to withstand the lengthy heat treatment necessary to set the finished film in coiled form, Without causing delarnination, discoloration or other deterioration of the laminated, printed film.

Most advantageously, the inks and the laminating ad hesive employed are based upon Polymer 49001 made available by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, of Wilmington, Del. The specified polymer is obtained in a solvent solution of 30 percent solids in methyl ethyl ketone, being in this form designated by Du Ponts adhesive No. 46960. To the adhesive solution is added approximately 5 to 7 percent of a prepolymer of polyester resins and toluene-2,4-diisocyanate, as a cross-linking agent. This isocyanate cross-linking agent raises the melting point of the polyester material sufficiently so that in the final laminate, it does not soften under heat treatment for 30 minutes at 300 F. It is also possible to employ Du Ponts adhesive No. 46950, instead of adhesive No. 46960, as described above.

In conjunction with the adhesive system based upon the Du Pont adhesive No. 46960, it is appropriate to employ certain inks available from Sinclair & Valentine, the following being exemplary: NY64673 White, containing titanium dioxide white pigment; NY64672 Red, containing Red 2B Watchung pigment; NY65517 Yellow, based on chrome yellow pigment; NY64671 Green; NY64752 Orange; and NY64675 Yellow. All of the foregoing inks are based upon the 46960 adhesive system. In addition, appropriate pigments for use with the 46960 adhesive system include Sinclair & Valentine No. 3652 Green, No. 3566 Green Gold, and No. 3653 Black.

In conjunction with the 46950 adhesive, it is appropriate to use selected inks of the Pennsylvania Color Company, as follows: 34-3103 Black, based on carbon black; 34-Gl01 Green, based on phthalocyanine pigments. The Pennsylvania Color Company inks specified are based on the 46950 adhesive system.

All of the inks employed, and the adhesive used in laminating, are based upon the before-mentioned Du Pont polyester adhesives, which are cross-linked with the before-mentioned is-ocyanate material, also available from Du Pont under their identification RC805. Broadly, the adhesive resins employed in laminating and the adhesive binder in the ink systems are based upon copolymen of at least two of the following organic acids: terephthalic acid; isophthalic acid; sebacic acid; adipic acid. These acids are polymerized with ethylene glycol to form the basic polymer. The polyester adhesive base, presently considered most suitable, is based upon a combination of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and sebacic acid.

In one advantageous form of three-color .printed shelving material, the background imprint 15, applied at the gravure printer 13, comprises an ink composition including the cross-linked 46960 adhesive with Sinclair & Valentine NY64671 Green and a Sinclair & Valentine extender No. NY61410, in an 85 percent methyl ethyl ketone, 15 percent methyl isobutyl ketone solvent. The green background 15 is applied in a desired pattern, such that the intended message or design appears in reverse on the back surface of the film 10. After curing of the green background imprint, as in the chamber 16, a second color imprint is made, in a step not specifically illustrated in FIG. 1, to apply an orange colored imprint, within the discontinuities in the green background as indicated at 31 in FIG. 3. The orange colored ink advantageously comprises the cross-linked 46960 adhesive, together with a desired mixture of the before-mentioned Sinclair & Valentine orange, yellow and White inks, in an 85 percent methyl ethyl ketone, 15 percent methyl isobutyl ketone solvent. The orange imprint is immediately cured by passing through a chamber, in the same manner as the background imprint 15, and the film thereafter is coated over its entire surface with a white ink comprising the 46960 6 cross-linked adhesive, together with Sinclair & Valentine NY64673 White ink in the specified methyl ethyl ketonemethyl isobutyl ketone solvent. Most advantageously, the white coating is applied over the entire back surface of the previously imprinted film 10 and, typically, 2 to 4 coats of the white ink are required to achieve the desired opacity, the film being passed through a curing chamber (see 21 and 22) following each application of white ink.

In order to effect the desired lamination of the reversely imprinted thin film 10 and the heavier base film 11, a compatible polyester adhesive (based on the 46960 system in the illustrated example), which includes the isocyanate cross-linking agent and a desired pigment, is utilized. For use in conjunction with the typical film described above, imprinted with a green background, a green pigment advantageously will be incorporated in the adhesive in desired amounts to achieve color compatibility with the green background of the outer film 10. An advantageous green pigment is Sinclair & Valentines No. 3652.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the pigmented polyester adhesive is applied to the front surface of the base film 11 and is partially cured in a chamber 26 to drive off a substantial part of the solvent (methyl ethyl ketone), before being brought together with the continuous white coating of the printed outer film 10 in a pressure laminating nip formed by rolls 27, 28. This procedure enables solvents to be used in the laminating adhesives that would ordinarily attack the previously'printed outer film.

Typically, the lamination is carried out using approximately 4 to 5 pounds (dry) of adhesive per 3,000 square feet of base film. The laminating operation can be carried out properly at speeds in the order of 65 feet per minute, utilizing a laminating roll temperature of about 280 F.

The finished, printed laminate, after being slit to desired Width and heat set in coiled form, may advantageously be employed as auxiliary shelving material as illustrated in FIG. 4 and in the before-mentioned Taber Patent No. 2,852,143. This is accomplished by bending the free outer end 32 of the coil in an outward direction and securing it to a vertical wall 33 of a shelf structure at a predetermined height calculated to permit one or more tiers of packages to be stacked underneath. In use, the

'free coil is rolled out over the tops of a plurality of underlying packages, and additional packages are stacked on top of the unrolled shelving material. When the coiled free end of the shelving material is released, the coil rolls up tightly against the front face of the outermost package of the upper tier. Thus, while the direct weight of the upper tier of packages is supported by the lower tiers, the interposition of the layer of auxiliary shelving material serves to stabilize the upper tiers of packages.

As individual packages are removed from the upper tiers, the coiled free end of the shelving material automatically rewinds itself back to the next package, progressively uncovering packages of the lower tier.

Advantageously, the printed designs incorporated in the coiled shelving material of the invention are oriented along the axis of the coil and are repetitively imprinted at short intervals along the entire length of the coiled strip. Thus, in virtually any operative condition of a strip of auxiliary shelving material, the partially coiled free end thereof will display the desired imprint, carrying brand identification, advertising material, prices, etc. Thus, as indicated particularly in FIG. 4, the frequency of repetition of the designs advantageously in such that several repetitions of the design will occur Within a length of the laminate equal to the circumference of the coiled free end 34. This assures that, under all conditions, the desired design or message will be presented to the viewer.

The product and procedure of the invention represents a significant advance by Way of enabling the functionally desirable coiled spring shelving material to have a desirable and pleasing appearance and, at the same time, to carry desired brand identification, etc. Significant procedural aspects of the invention include reversely imprinting the back surface of an outer film, which outer film has a thickness constituting a small fraction of the thickness of the finished shelving material. This results in substantial production advantages, in that greatly extended printing runs are possible with supply rolls of extremely thin film, and the economic consequences of occasional defective printing sequences are materially reduced. The procedure of the invention also contemplates first applying to the back surface of a thin outer film the predominating dark color (or colors) of a desired printed design followed, as a final printing operation, by a plurality of continuous coatings or layers of a light colored (e.g., white) ink, which is visible through the discontinuities of the initially applied, darker colors. Since a plurality of separate coatings of the lighter color may be required to achieve the desired opacity, it is significant to apply this color last, and to apply it continuously over the previously printed colors thereby avoiding problems of registration in the original discontinuities and providing a uniformly colored back surface.

Further procedural aspects of the invention reside in the application to the heavy base film, whose thickness constitutes a major fraction of the total thickness of the shelving material, of a continuous, substantially opaque layer of pigmented, solvent based adhesive, to enable the heavy base film to be bonded to the printed surface of the outer film 10, without attacking and disrupting the printed coatings on the back surface of the outer film. Thus, in the procedure of the invention, the pigmented adhesive is applied uniformly to the front surface of the base film after which the base film is passed through a heating chamber to drive off at least most of the solvent, whereupon the adhesively coated surface of the base film is brought into pressure contact with the printed back surface of the outer film.

A further important aspect of the invention resides in the provision of advantageous, compatible heat resistant coatings and adhesives, which not only enable the printed outer film to be desirably bonded to the base film but have adequate heat resistance to withstand 30 minutes of heat treatment of about 300 F., during permanent setting of the laminate film in coil form.

The ink and adhesive systems of the invention advantageously are based upon polyester adhesives, crosslinked for heat resistance and utilized with compatible polyester adhesive-based inks. The advantageous polyester based inks and adhesives contemplated are, in accordance with a still further specific aspect of the invention, applied to the films by a gravure applicator utilizing, for example, a 50 line pattern to provide effectively continuous color application in the intended areas.

In an advantageous, modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the layer of continuous printing usually applied to the back surface of the outer film is omitted, and its function is performed by an intermediate film of metallized Mylar, which is incorporated in the laminated structure. Thus, in FIG. 5, the outer film 40 has applied to its back surface a printed design 41, including predetermined discontinuities 42. In place of the usual continuous coating over the discontinuous printing 41 there is provided an intermediate film 43, advantageously of /z-mil Mylar, which is provided on one surface with a metallized layer 44. Typically, the metallized layer 44 is formed on the surface of the film 43 by known vacuum metallizing techniques and has a thickness of, say, around 4 microns, for example. The metal typically is aluminum.

In the manufacture of the printed shelving material of FIG. 5, a layer 45 of heat resistant adhesive is applied to the front surface of the metallized film 43, after which the films 40, 43 are bonded together. The adhesive 45 advantageously is clear and transparent and may be colorless or slightly tinted. Where clear, transparent and colorless adhesive is employed, a glittering, brilliant metallized surface of silver color is visible through the discontinuities in the printed layer 41. Other metallic colorings may be achieved by tinting the transparent adhesive, the glitter and brilliance of the metallized layer being retained.

After lamination of the outer and intermediate films 40, 43, a heavier (e.g., 7.5 mils) film 46 is bonded to the back surface of the metallized film 43, by an adhesive layer 47 suitably pigmented to correspond generally to the predominant coloration of the discontinuous printed layer 41.

In its general appearance, the modified shelving material of FIG. 5 is similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3. However, the design visible through the printing discontiunities has a desirable metallic glitter and brilliance. The metallic layer is of course substantially free of any tendency to dull or tarnish, since the metallic layer is effectively encapsulated within the laminated structure.

It will be understood that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. For example, and without implying limitation of any kind, the overall gauge or thickness of the finished, laminated films may advantageously range from 5 mils to 9 mils, to accommodate various available gauges of Mylar. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A printed, laminated permanently coiled shelving material comprising (a) a first film formed of a clear, transparent thermoplastic material,

(b) a first and discontinuous colored coating adhesively bonded to the back surface of said first film and visible from the front surface thereof,

(0) a substantially continuous coating, of a color distinctively different from the first colored coating, adhesively bonded to the discontinuously coated back surface of the first film, whereby the color of the continuous coating is exposed in predetermined uncoated areas of said discontinuous coating, from the front surface of said first film, while the back surface of the first film is continuously covered by and generally of the color of the continuous coating,

(d) a second film formed of a clear, transparent thermoplastic material, and,

(e) a coating of adhesive bonding material interposed between said substantially continuous coating and said second film and serving to bond said films in laminated relation,

(f) said adhesive bonding material being visible from the back surface of said second film,

(g) said shelving material being permanently but elastically set in the form of coils which, when partly uncoiled, simultaneously expose both sides of the lamination.

2. The laminated shelving material of claim 1, in

which (a) said films are formed of polyethylene terephthalate,

(b) said first film has a thickness of about one-half mil, and

(c) said second film has a thickness of about seven and one-half mils.

3. The laminated shelving material of claim 1, which includes (a) a second discontinuous colored coating adhesively bonded to the back surface of said first film and visible from the front surface of the first film, within the discontinuities of the first colored coating,

(b) said substantially continuous coating being bonded to the coated first film over the first and second discontinuous coatings,

(c) said first and second discontinuous coatings and said substantially continuous coating each being of a distinctively different color.

4. A printed, laminated, permanently coiled shelving material according to claim 1, in which (a) said substantially continuous coating comprises a metallic layer,

(b) said metallic layer forming one surface of a metallized film of thermoplastic material interposed between said first and second films.

5. A printed, laminated, permanently coiled shelving material comprising (a) an outer film formed of clear, transparent polyethylene terephthalate,

(b) a base film formed of clear, transparent polyethylene terephthalate,

(c) said base film being of substantially greater thickness than said outer film,

(d) a plurality of polyester-based compositions applied in layers between said films and serving to bond said films together,

(e) said polyester-based layers including a discontinuous, first colored layer in bonded contact with the back surface of said outer film and visible from the front surface thereof and a substantially continuous adhesive layer in bonded contact with the front surface of said base film and visible from the back surface thereof, and

(f) a substantially continuous second colored layer in bonded relation with said discontinuous layer,

(g) said first and second colored layers being of distinctively different colors, whereby the color of the continuous layer is exposed in the discontinuities of the discontinuous layer, from the front surface of said outer film, while the back surface of the outer film is continuously cove-red by and generally of the color substantially continuous colored layer,

(-11) said shelving material being permanently but 10 elastically set in the form of coils which, when partly uncoiled, simultaneously expose both sides of the lamination. '6. The printed, laminated shelving material of claim 5,

in which (a) said substantially continuous second colored layer is separate from and bonded to said continuous adhesive layer.

7. The printed, laminated shelving material of claim 5, in which (a) said second colored layer comprises a polyesterbased composition. 8. The printed, laminated shelving material of claim 5, in which 8, in which (a) said intermediate film is bonded to the back surface of said outer film by a tinted, polyester-based adhesive, and

(b) said base film is bonded to the back surface of said intermediate film by said substantially continuous adhesive layer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1954 Richter 16 1413 X 2,714,559 8/1955 Shefiield 117-9 2,852,143 9/1958 Taber 2l149 2,961,365 11/1960 Sroog 161-214 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

M. L. KATZ, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PRINTED, LAMINATED PERMANENTLY COILED SHELVING MATERIAL COMPRISING (A) A FIRST FILM FORMED OF A CLEAR, TRANSPARENT THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, (B) A FIRST AND DISCONTINUOUS COLORED COATING ADHESIVELY BONDED TO THE BACK SURFACE OF SAID FIRST FILM AND VISIBLE FROM THE FRONT SURFACE THEREOF, (C) A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS COATING, OF A COLOR DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST COLORED COATING, ADHESIVELY BONDED TO THE DISCONTINUOUSLY COATED BACK SURFACE OF THE FIRST FILM, WHEREBY THE COLOR OF THE CONTINUOUS COATING IS EXPOSED IN PREDETERMINED UNCOATED AREAS OF SAID DISCONTINUOUS COATING, FROM THE FRONT SURFACE OF SAID FIRST FILM, WHILE THE BACK SURFACE OF THE FIRST FILM IS CONTINUOUSLY COVERED BY AND GENERALLY OF THE COLOR OF THE CONTINUOUS COATING, (D) A SECOND FILM FORMED OF A CLEAR, TRANSPARENT THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, AND (E) A COATING OF ADHESIVE BONDING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS COATING AND SAID SECOND FILM AND SERVING TO BOND SAID FILMS IN LAMINATED RELATION, (F) SAID ADHESIVE BONDING MATERIAL BEING VISIBLE FROM THE BACK SURFACE OF SAID SECOND FILM, (G) SAID SHELVING MATERIAL BEING PERMANENTLY BUT ELASTICALLY SET IN THE FORM OF COILS WHICH, WHEN PARTLY UNCOILED, SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPOSED BOTH SIDES OF THE LAMINATION. 